1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for cutting and removing a package material from a packaged object, and more particularly to an apparatus for cutting and removing a sheet-like package material from a packaged object, and feeding the unpackaged object to a next processing station.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Ends to be attached to open-top cans such as beer cans, soft drink cans, or the like are superimposed in a cylindrical stack, wrapped by a package material, and delivered to a can making process. In the can making process, the package material is removed from the cylindrical stack of can ends, and one of the ends, at a time, is supplied to an open-top can which has been filled with a content such as beverage. Then, the end is placed over the open top of the cylindrical can and attached thereto by seaming.
Japanese Patent Application No. 63-322608 (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 02-166034) discloses an apparatus for cutting and removing a package material from a packaged cylindrical object such as a cylindrical stack of can ends. The disclosed apparatus comprises a suction device for forming, under vacuum, a loop-like slackened portion of the package material in the longitudinal direction of the packaged cylindrical object, and a cutter for cutting open the slackened portion, and a package removing unit for removing the package material from the packaged object. The can ends which have been unpackaged are then transferred, one at a time, to a delivery device, and supplied to a seamer.
The disclosed apparatus also has a sensor positioned at the package removing unit for detecting when the package material is removed from the packaged object. In the event that the package material is not removed due, for example, to a package opening failure as detected by the sensor, the apparatus is shut off, and a suitable action is taken to cut open and remove the package material, thus restoring the apparatus. Since the seamer is continuing the seaming process during the apparatus shutdown, the seamer will also have to be shut off when all the can ends present in the transfer path between the apparatus and the seamer and also all the can ends stocked in the apparatus are used up.
There has also been developed a package cutting and removing apparatus equipped with a can end accumulator for accumulating can ends unpackaged from a plurality of packaged can stacks, the can end accumulator being positioned adjacent to a package removing unit. This package cutting and removing apparatus is also disadvantageous in that a seamer coupled thereto must be shut off when all the unpackaged can ends stocked in the can end accumulator are consumed. Further, storing unpackaged can ends in the can end accumulator is not preferable from a sanitary standpoint as the stored can ends are exposed to surrounding conditions.
Any of the above conventional apparatus are also problematic in that in the event of a package removal failure, the apparatus cannot quickly be restored to their normal operation as it takes a long period of time for a packaged object to travel from the inlet of the apparatus to a position for cutting open the package material of the packaged object.